American cruise lines to control SO2 and PM

Cruise line Carnival has announced an agreement with US and Canadian agencies to invest USD180 million in emission-reduction technology on 32 of its cruise ships to comply with the Emission Control Area (ECA) standards.

The ECA sulphur standards require ships operating within 200 nautical miles of the US or Canadian coasts to use fuel containing less than 0.1 per cent sulphur by 2015. A 1 per cent sulphur limit on fuel took effect in August 2012.

Under the agreement the company will install scrubbers and diesel particulate filters on its ships to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and fine particulate matter (PM), pollutants that exacerbate smog and damage human health.

The agreement follows a similar deal between the US Environment Protection Agency and the other major cruise line operating in the country, Royal Caribbean, which also called for the installation of pollution controls on a trial basis, in lieu of using lower sulphur fuel.